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' J. B. SLITER & C. T. BAZZETT.

VEHICLE SPRING.

.No. 281,934. Patented July 24, 1883..

INYBNTO 6.

4 52 ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES N. PETERv Phmum npher. Waminwn. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEFFERSON B. SLITER AND CHARLES T. BAZZETT, OF WAVERLY, NEW YORK,ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO ALONZO V. C. VAIL, OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE -SPRING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 281,934, dated July 24,1883.

Application filed April 1'7, 1883.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JEFFnRsoN B, SLITER and CHARLES T. Blizznrr,citizens of the United States, residing at Waverly, in the county ofTioga and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Wagon Springs and Gearing, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to improvements in vehicles; and it consists incertain novel features in the springs, fifth-wheel, and vibratingbraces, springs, and axles, and outside springs, the construction andarrangement of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth in thespecification, and pointed out in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing our invention.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the springs. Fig. 3 is across-section through the center of the front axle, spring-box, andfifth-wheel. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the center of one ofthe outside springs, showing the vibrating brace and socket therefor.Fig. 5 is a cross-section through the line a; w of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is aplan view of the bottom or under side of the fifth-wheel. Fig. 7 is aside elevation of the fifth-wheel plates.

Referring more particularlyto the drawings, the springs D are three innumber, each having three leaves. The lower leaf of the outside springsis secured at the top or upper side of the spring-bar in front and theaxle in rear by clip, the leaf being bent at its ends in the shape of ascroll, D, to describe a perfect circle, and secured to cross-bars K bya loop at its ends, the body resting upon and bolted to said cross-bars.

The central spring, D is attached at one end to the lower or under sideof the rear axle by a similar, clip and bolt, the opposite end beingsecured by a suitable bolt which passes through lugs b, projectingdownward from the upper plate, B, of the fiftlrwheel, whereby itoccupies a plane below that of the side springs.

Each spring is provided at its center with a wooden bolster or brace, E,secured by clips h, for the purpose of stiffening or strengthening same.Each spring is bent or curved upwardly at its center, and all aresecured to a central (No modeLl supporting-brace, I, bent centrally toaccommodate itself to the position of the central spring. Braces L aresecured to the rear axle by suitable clips, and extend forwarddiagonally and pass through the tubular washer or spring n, locatedwithin the hollow or tubular portion m of clip h, as shown in Fig. 4.The object of this is to insure a constant vertical or up-anddown motionto the body, and prevent lateral motion or swaying from side to side.This is attained as follows: WVhen a load is placed upon the springs,and they are depressed, the head Z of the brace or rod L is drawn withinthe tube m and compresses the spring or packing N, and when the pressureis released it resumes its normal position, any tendency to lateral orside motion being counteracted by the brace L on the opposite side.

The fifth-wheel is composed of an upper an nular plate, B, havingdownward-projecting lugs b from its inner circumference, to which thecentral spring, D is attached, and a second annular plate, B, providedwith a central crossbar having projecting ends a, through which the endsof the clevis 0 pass.

The lower plate, B, to which the clevis securing the spring-bar f isattached, moves beneath the upper plate, B, its motion being limited bythe shoulders I) of the lugs 1), thereby affording a free motion of thefront axle independent of the spring-connections.

Thus it will be seen from the foregoing that any motion imparted to thebody is transmitted equally to all three of the springs, the body beingsecured to the scrolls D and to the central brace, I.

The weight of the load bearing upon the cross-bars K, suspended by thescrolls D, has a tendency to throw the strain toward the center of thesprings instead of toward the ends, as is the casein vehicles ofordinary construction, thus assuring an even positive vertical motion,and at once equally distributing the strain to every part of thesprings.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. A vehicle provided with two exterior springs, each composed of two ormore leaves, the ends of the central leaves being curved to form acircular scroll, the ends of said scrolls forming seats for cross-bars,upon which the ends of the body rest, the lower leaves being attached toclips on the upper side of the axle and spring-bar.

2. A vehicle provided with two exterior springs having circular endscrolls, forming seats for the body-supporting cross-bars, and a centralspring placed below the plane of the exterior springs, the ends beingsecured to clips on the rear axle and fifth-wheel, its center secured toa central supporting-brace, the ends of which are secured to the sidesprings, substantially as set forth.

3. A vehicle provided with diagonal side braces, one end of each beingsecured to the axle, the opposite ends passing through and moving in atubular socket, of clips secured to the exterior springs, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

4. A vehicle provided with side braces, L, the outer ends being securedto the axle, the inner ends passing through a rubber or spring washerlocated within the tubular socket of a clip secured to the exteriorsprings.

5. Avehicle provided with side braces, L, the exterior ends passingthrough the tubular socket on and washer n, and provided with a head, Z,adapted to compress the washer within the socket when the springs aredepressed, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a vehicle, a fifth-wheel consisting of an upper and alower annularplate, the upper plate being stationary, provided withdownwardly-projecting lugs b, to which the central spring of the vehicleis attached, the lower plate being movable and having a cross-bar withprojecting ends, through which the clevis passes, the movement of saidlower plate being limited by contact of the crossbar with the shouldersI) of the lug b, as described.

7. In a vehicle, the combination of the side springs having circularscrolls, forming seats for the cross-bars, central spring, and sidebraces, L, the inner ends of which are secured to the exterior springs,as described, and a central brace, I. V

8. In a vehicle, the combination of the side springs having the endscrolls, as described, the side braces secured to the axle and exteriorsprings, the central spring and central brace, I, and fifth-wheelattached to the central spring, as described, and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

JEFFERSON B. SLITER. CHARLES 'I. BAZZETI.

\Vitnesscs J. B. FLoYD, G. E. LINDsLEY.

